The Civil Service Examination (CSE) is conducted every year by UPSC as a common examination for the Central Service which includes,IAS, IFS, IPS, Group A and Group B Central Services. Every year, the notification for the examination is published in the month of December in Employment News / Rozgar Samachar, Gazette of India and some newspapers. And different states organize Civil Service Exam through their own Public Services Commission from time to time. The competitive examination comprises of two successive stages:
 

i) Civil Service Preliminary Examination (Objective Type) for the selection of candidates for Main Examination, and
 

ii) Civil Service Main Examination (Written and Interview) for the selection of candidates for various services and posts.
 

Educational Qualification : Graduation or equivalent from any recognized University.
 

Number of Attempts : Four for General Category : Seven for OBCs : No limit for SC/ST candidates.
 

Reservation : 15% for SC : 71/2% for ST : 27% for OBCs
 

Age Limit : More than 21yrs. but less than 30 yrs. on Ist August of the year of Exam. Upper age limit is relax able upto 3 yrs, for O.B.C. and up to 5yrs. for SC/ST candidates.
 

PLAN OF EXAMINATION
 

(A) Preliminary Examination :
 

Paper-I General Studies 150 question - 150 marks Paper-II One Subject to be selected from the list 120 question - 300 marks of optional Subjects. Total : 450 marks
 

Note :
 

1. Preliminary Exam is meant to serve as a screening test only. The marks obtained will not be counted for determining the final order of merit.
 

2. The number of candidates to be admitted to the Main Exam will be about 12-13 times the total approximate number of vacancies to be filled in the year.
 

3. The course and content of the syllabi of optional subjects will be of degree level.
 

4. Each paper will be two hours duration.
 

5. Preliminary Exam is usually held on May or June every year.
 

(B) Main Examination :
 

Paper-I One of the Indian Language to 300 marks be selected by the candidate
 

Paper-II English 300 marks
 

These two papers are qualifying in nature.
 

The marks obtained in these papers will not be considered for ranking.
 

Paper-III Essay 200 marks
 

Paper-IV & V General Studies 600 marks
 

Paper-VI & VII Optional Subject - I 600 marks
 

Paper-VIII & IX Optional Subject - II 600 marks

(Optional Subjects are to be selected by the candidate from the list of optional subjects)
 

Interview 300 marks
 

Total : 2300 marks
 

Note :
 

1. The paper on Indian Language and English will be of matriculation or equivalent standard.
 

2. The question paper III to IX will be set both in Hindi and English medium.
 

3. The main Exam is intended to assess the overall intellectual traits and the depth of understanding rather than merely the range of information and memory. So sufficient choice of questions will be allowed in the question papers.
 

4. Each paper will be of three hours duration.
 

5. The main Exam is usually held in October / November every year.
 

6. Candidates will not be allowed to offer the following combinations of subject.
 

a) Political science & International Relations and public Administration
 

b) Commerce & Accountancy and Management;
 

c) Anthropology and Sociology;
 

d) Mathematics and Statistics;
 

e) Agriculture & Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science;
 

f) Management and Public Administration;
 

g) Of the Engineering subjects, not more than one subject;
 

h) Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science and Medical science;
 

C) The Interview :
 

The candidate will be interviewed by a Board who will have before them a record of his career. He will be asked questions on matters of general interest. The objective is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in Public Service.
 

The test is intended to judge the mental caliber of a candidate. In broad terms, this is really an assessment of not only his intellectual qualities but also social traits and his interest on current affairs. Some of the qualities to be judge are like mental alertness, critical power of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgment, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leader ship, intellectual and moral integrity.